CAPTAIN DYNAMITE TO THE RESCUE
Consul Wyman sat in his study in deep thought. His heart was heavy and
in his mind plan after plan to save the boys from their threatened fate
was formed, only to be abandoned as not feasible. His wife sat with him
aiding now and then by a suggestion. She, too, was deeply interested in
the fate of the American boys, of whose adventures and self-sacrifice
her husband had told her.
"Everything falls to the ground, Annie," he said finally. "There is only
one hope and that is an appeal to the government."
"But you know the red tape and delay that means, John," said his wife.
"We have forty-eight hours from dawn to-morrow."
"Far too short a time to reach Washington through Spanish sources, I
fear."
"I believe you are right."
"And you cannot stir Serano?"
"He is adamant."
"Then I can see nothing but an appeal to Weyler."
"There is scarcely time for that."
"There can be no delay."
"But the courier. I know of no one whom I can trust and who would act in
the boys' interests. It is a diplomatic mission. There must be neither
pleading nor threatening."
"Then you must go, John."
"That is what I have been thinking, my dear. I am glad you see it in the
same way."
"When will you start?"
"Within an hour. If you will leave me now, I will prepare a brief to
present to General Weyler."
Mrs. Wyman left the room and the consul drew his chair closer to his
desk where a student lamp burned. The room was large, opening by a
casement window upon a garden filled with luxuriantly growing plants and
shrubs. The night was warm and the window stood open, admitting the
heavy perfume of flowers. The lamp, which was the only light in the
room, cast a bright circle on the desk. All the rest of the apartment
was in deep shadow.
Mr. Wyman had been writing about half an hour when he turned to the
window behind him as if he had heard an unusual sound. Then he returned
to his writing. Again he swung around in his chair and listened. Then he
rose and walked quickly to the window.
"Annie, is that you?" he called.
There was no reply.
"I am sure I heard a sound in the garden," he said to himself.
"Probably you are right, consul, although I tried to make as little
noise as possible."
Mr. Wyman started back involuntarily. The words which were spoken in a
whisper, seemed to come from a clump of bushes at the right of the
window. Mr. Wyman peered into the darkness but could see no one.
"Who are you?" he asked loudly, "who comes stealing into my garden under
the cover of darkness?"
"Are you alone?" was the only reply.
"And of what concern is that to you?"
"Sure, and if you were me you would concern yourself a good bit about
it."
"Well, I am alone; now who are you and what is your business here at
this time of night?"
For answer a dark form crept stealthily out from the shadow of the bush,
leaped lightly in the window, and as quickly drew the hanging curtain
across it, shutting out all view from the outside. Although the night
was warm, the man wore a coat with the broad collar turned up so as to
conceal his face, and a broad sombrero slouched down over his eyes. He
kept close within the shadows in the corner of the room.
"Pardon me, Mr. Wyman, for entering your house in this unceremonious
manner, but there was no other way that offered just at present. My
mission is of the utmost importance, but it would not be well for either
of us if I were discovered here. Can we depend upon being undisturbed?"
"How do you know that I wish to be undisturbed? You seem to know me, but
refuse to disclose your identity. I cannot consent to this one-sided
interview. Who are you?"
"If I tell you that I am a friend of the American boys, is that enough?"
"Quite. You need have no fear; we shall be undisturbed here."
The man, reassured, stepped forward and threw off his coat and hat. Mr.
Wyman looked him over curiously for a moment and then pointed to a
chair.
"Be seated, Captain Dynamite," he said, quietly.
O'Connor started back in some dismay.
"You know me?" he said. "How?"
"The boys described you to me very accurately. You have a pair of very
staunch friends in those youngsters, sir."
"Yes, yes, I know," said O'Connor, eagerly. "Tell me of them--they are
safe?"
"They are alive and well, but they are not safe."
"What do you mean?"
"In the first place tell me if Miss Juanita reached you in safety?"
"Yes, thank God, and she has told me much of what the boys have risked
for her and me. That is why I am here."
"Yes, and there is not another man with a price upon his head who would
place it in the lion's mouth as you are doing. Why did you come here
alone? You can do no good single handed."
O'Connor leaned forward and whispered:
"But I am not alone. There are twelve picked men with me."
"Where are they?"
"Pardon me the liberty, but they are out there in your garden."
"How did you get here?"
"By methods known only to Indians and Cubans."
"Humph," said Mr. Wyman, somewhat annoyed, "I may not get clear of this
affair without getting shot myself. But what can twelve men do?"
"Twelve such men as those can do much. But tell me, please, so that I
may act with proper dispatch, just what the situation is in regard to
the boys."
The men drew their chairs closer together and in a low tone Mr. Wyman
began to tell in sequence the events that had transpired since he had
been involved in the affair.
"So," said O'Connor, when Mr. Wyman had finished, "then I am not much
too soon. Now, let us consider what is the best way to proceed. I shall
probably have to ask you for a trifle of aid."
"But I must be off to Weyler. I have not a minute to waste if I wish to
reach him in time."
"In time for what?" asked O'Connor, in surprise.
"In time to secure a reprieve."
"Nonsense, man."
"May I ask what is nonsense, Captain Dynamite?" said Mr. Wyman, whose
dignity was injured.
"In the first place, it is nonsense to expect any aid from Weyler, who
always staunchly supports his lieutenants, whether right or wrong, and
in the second place, we do not want a reprieve. We've got to get them
clean away from here before they will be safe--clean off the blooming
island. I'll take them back to the old _Mariella_--that's the safest
place for them. I wish to goodness they had never left her."
"But how, my good sir--how under the sun are you going to get them to
the _Mariella_ when they are locked up in a Spanish jail?"
"No jail is impregnable."
"But you cannot storm it in the face of a garrison of men with a handful
of twelve."
"There are more than fifty times twelve almost within gunshot, but I
still think the twelve will be sufficient for my purpose."
"Do you mean that the city is threatened by insurgents?" Mr. Wyman
looked worried. "I must get my wife away, sir."
"Don't worry, consul. If it comes to that the American flag is sacred to
the insurgents; but if there is any fighting it will be on the picket
line only, I fancy."
"But what is your plan?"
"To take the boys out of that jail first."
"How?"
"Is it strongly guarded?"
"Inside and out. It is a military prison."
"How many men?"
"Four outside and four within, in charge of an officer."
"Oh, that's easy."
"But the first sound of a conflict would arouse the garrison, which is
directly in the rear of the prison."
"There will be no sound of conflict after we get to work, Mr. Wyman."
"How can I aid you?"
"By securing permission to visit the boys in their cell. Can you do it?"
"I am not sure. General Serano's mood is not the best in the world just
now. The boys have tantalized him beyond measure. He cannot seem to beat
them, and aside from his official pride, his personal dignity has
suffered. My position as defender of the youngsters has gained for me
his ill-will. But I will try. What am I to do?"
"Simply leave the jail at a time that I shall fix. We will do the rest.
You will not be involved in any way, except that you may be seemingly
handled a little roughly, but that will only be done to divert suspicion
from yourself. Do not resist."
"There will not be too much violence, I hope?"
"No more than is needed, sir. I do not like violence myself. There may
be a broken head or two, but they are soon mended. It it now nine
o'clock. What time does the watch change?"
"At midnight."
"Very well. Now, if you will permit me, I will call one of my men."
"Make what use you please of me and my house. I wish to aid you in any
way I can."
O'Connor stepped to the window and drew aside the curtain. As he did
so, a dark form darted into the shadow of a bush. O'Connor saw it and
paused.
"There is someone in your garden beside my men," he whispered to the
consul.
"Impossible. The servants have gone to bed."
"Someone was listening at this window."
"Whom can it be?"
"Someone who suspects you. Can you think whom it would be?"
"No." The consul shook his head nervously.
"Very well, we'll see."
O'Connor turned and darted out of the window. In a moment he returned
holding General Serano's official spy by the scruff of the neck. The
interpreter's genial smile had given place to a look of terror and he
trembled with fear. O'Connor swung him around so that he faced the
consul.
"Do you know him?" he asked.
"Yes," answered Mr. Wyman, as he looked the man over with an expression
of disgust, "he is General Serano's man Friday." Then to the man he said
sternly: "What are you doing here, in my garden, at this time of night?"
"Preoccupation, Mr. Wyman, preoccupation of the mind. I must have
strayed in by mistake. I hope you will pardon me."
"Well, we will think that over, my man," interrupted O'Connor. "How
long had you been listening at the window?"
"Listening! O, sir, far be it from me to listen at the window of our
esteemed consul."
"You weren't very far from it just now."
"I had just discovered my error, sir, and was about to retrace my
steps----"
"Having heard all that you wished," O'Connor broke in.
"I hope the gentleman is jesting. I should be grieved indeed if he held
so evil an opinion of me."
"Please consider yourself grieved. Now, Mr. Wyman, I should like to
still further impose on your hospitality. This gentleman, I believe, is
very anxious to serve me--is that not true, Mr. Friday?"
"Oh, quite true, sir; it shall be my pleasure; but the name, sir, is not
Friday--it is Villamonte."
"Mr. Wyman, can I trouble you for a short piece of rope?"
The consul left the room and returned with a piece of clothes-line about
three feet long which he handed to O'Connor.
"Now Mr. Monte, I shall have to ask you to extend your hands behind
you."
"Surely your excellency will not bind me?"
"My excellency sure will. Stick 'em out and be quick about it."
"I protest. General Serano shall hear of this outrage."
"I am quite confident of that, but I am not ready to lose your company
yet, Monte."
O'Connor turned the man around much as he might have done a child, and
bound his hands behind him. Then he led him to a chair into which he
thrust him and lashed his hands tightly to the back, Villamonte
jabbering vehemently in Spanish the while.
"Now, Mr. Wyman," said O'Connor, when he finished, "this gentleman's
providential preoccupation of mind will relieve you from the necessity
of visiting General Serano. I think he will be very glad to carry out
any instructions I may give him." As O'Connor spoke, he carelessly
removed a pistol from his belt, and as he examined it he held the muzzle
so that it covered the trembling Villamonte, who cowered back in the
chair.
"Won't you, Mr. Monte?"
"Whatever his excellency wishes shall be my pleasure," stammered the
interpreter.
"Good; now we understand each other, Monte."